CHRAJ Urges Gov’t To Pass Witness Protection Law Immediately

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), has urged government to swiftly pass the Witness Protection Act to ensure crime informants are secured and protected.

According to CHRAJ boss, Joseph Whittal, combatting crime may be met with challenges if informants are not protected by the law hence the need for government to speed up with processes to get in place a Witness Protection Law.

Mr Whittal’s calls come after reports that an informant in the murder case involving the former Abuakwa North Member of Parliament, J.B. Danquah Adu, has been subjected to physical assault by some persons he believes are connected to the Police Service.

But reacting to the issue on Citi FM, Mr Whittal, who thinks the passage of the Witness Protection Law “has slowed” said “the Commission has got government in the past to appreciate the need to pass the Witness Protection Law.”

The Commissioner of CHRAJ continued that though the passage has slowed, CHRAJ believes the late J.B Danquah’s witness’ case “will let the government rise up to the realities of protecting people who actually have information that they want to come out, but will be afraid of reprisal attacks.”

Currently, there is no law that guarantees the protection of whistle blowers and witnesses, but it is believed that if the state protects informants who provide relevant information on crime, many citizens will own up and volunteer with information to help the police fight crime effectively.